Hey,
I have an 89 w/bolt on mods, about 4 months ago the transmission started leaking, at only 30k(it was garaged for nearly 10 yrs) turns out it was just the gasket leaking.
(3 months later)
Whenever I got it out of the shop, I instantly noticed that it slipped in 1st gear. it would only do that when it was low on fluid normally. I took it back, only having made the block, and told them, and they said "Oh yeah, thats right, you screwed up your transmission pretty good, when we pulled the filter off, a bunch of metal shards, and possibly spring pieces fell out as well." I know they aren't yanking me, because my best friends dad was the mechanic. They orderred then a new accum. spring (or just accum.) and they could not install it because it would not fit the tranny, even though it was orderred from ford and took almost a month to get.
Anyway, now it drives fine ounce it warms up, but occasionally it will slip out of 1st when accel around a right hand turn, like from a stop light, which is bad if you pull in front of traffic, like I have to. And when you first start it up and drive it, it slips all over 1st, then doesnt want to shift to second at norm throttle. ,it just goes to about 3000 or so then revs as if in nuetral, and 2 seconds later, or if accel pedal pressed, it will shift to 2nd. and from there it works great, all other shifts are smooth, once it's warm, the 1-2 is pretty smooth, a little rough.
Yesterday, I orderred a Baumman Shift kit, and I'm hoping(but not believing) that it will help somewhat, the mech said its probably a 2nd gear sprag(?)or possibly a burned band or roller. anyway, I was thinking new Valve body.

Sorry for making this so long, but I'm kind of between a rock and a hard place, and only 17, I have about 300 bucks, and I'm saving all my paychecks, even though ALL of my money, almost, already goes into this car for gas, ins, and fixin it. I save about 200-300 a mo.

Ok! got my last (hopefully) shipment of parts. I ordered an intermediate roller clutch/sprag, Valve body re-calibration kit, Shift kit, and while I was at it, I bought a new O/D band that is kevlar reinforced. all totalling with shipping............ around $105!!! pretty good huh? new O/D band was only 10 bucks.

So in a few weeks I am gonna take the car to the shop and have it put in. any ideas about how long/ how much it will cost?